Don't You Mind?
by power.in.a.pen
Summary: Songfic based on my interpretation of the song "Me" by the 1975.


I lined up behind the queue of people waiting for tickets. I needed to get away from you. You lied and you snuck around on me. With her too, of all people, my best friend?

I ran from the house after seeing the two of you together. I shouldn't have been driving, in the condition I was but I did it anyways. I wasn't aware enough to notice the pedestrian at the crosswalk. I slammed my brakes and missed hitting him by less than a foot. I still had my suitcase from the conference. It was then that I decided to go home again and see my family.

You had my heart. I'd warned you that I was only doing this once. I loved you. You took all I had to offer and destroyed it, leaving me with a mess of ash and embers to deal with. What was I supposed to do with this mess you tried to leave me with.

While I was waiting to board you called me. Instinctively I picked it up.

_"Chloe, please come home. Talk to me. I'm sorry. There's no excuse for what I did, but I want to talk and explain." _Your voice pierced what little heart I had left.

"No Beca. I am going home to my family, I need some space. I just caught you cheating on me. With Aubrey. My best friend Beca? How could you?"

_"I just want to talk about things in person. I'm a shitty person, I never wanted to be that. I refused to see it until I saw your heart break in front of my eyes. I ruined the single most important thing I had. I understand you have to leave for a bit. I love you Babygirl." _She was crying on the other end.

My call to board came just as she said her piece. "You don't get to call me that anymore." I snapped as I lined up to board.

My brother, Clif, was waiting for me when I landed. I hadn't expected that, I hadn't called ahead. When he pulled me into his strong arms, I lost all composure and started crying.

"You okay? Beca called me. She said you were coming home. She told me what happened. You are going to go back and hear her out right? She's pretty busted up too Chloe. You guys have been together eight years and married three of them. She's family to us too. Until you moved to California, she was my best friend. There's got to be more to this."

When Clif brought me home, my mom was waiting up for me.

"Chloe, baby. You doing okay? Want me to make you some tea or cocoa?" she looked at me with this absolute sadness in her eyes. Like I was a kicked puppy.

"I'm fine Ma. Is Talia asleep?" I sighed and asked.

"She is supposed to be. She's been asking for you. She wants to come live with you again Chloe. She misses you."

Before I knew Beca, I had slept around a lot. When I was sixteen, I got pregnant. My daughter Natalia was the best thing in the world. Half the reason I fell in love with Beca was because Natalia did. Beca had instantly won her heart, and watching how good she was with her made me fall in love with her too. Talia grew up knowing her as Little Mama. When Beca got a job offer in LA two years ago, we decided it would be best for Natalia to stay with my mom and Clif so she could remain with her friends. We made a point of visiting once every few months and we flew her out to LA both summers but I still missed her every day.

"Me too Ma. I'm going to go kiss her goodnight. I need her more than anything right now."

When I kissed her forehead she stirred and her eyes locked with mine. They widened with excitement.

"Mama! I missed you." my nine year old daughter leaped into my arms. "Where's Little Mama? Is she here too?" she searched my face for any sign of that surprise. When she realized Beca hadn't come, her face fell.

"You had a fight, didn't you? The only time you come home alone is when you fight with her." Her small, tired features were laced with fear.

"Shh... Go back to sleep sweetheart. We'll talk tomorrow. I just needed a hug goodnight from my girl. I love you monkey." she folded into me, fitting perfectly in my arms.

"I love you too. Goodnight Mama."

I went to Clif's room. "Find me some weed. I can't deal with this tonight. Everyone's treating me like someone died and I just want to forget about it for five minutes at least. Everyone's falling apart because I have problems that I don't even want to think about right now. Please?" he nodded.

The next afternoon I was woken up by Natalia's flying tackle.

"Grandma says you need to get your stoner ass out of bed Mama!" she giggled. "How long are you here for? Can you take me to the lake today?" As much as I loved her, my daughter was a lot to handle waking up.

"We'll see sweetheart." My phone rang as Aubrey's picture flashed on the screen. Before I could reach it, Talia had picked it up excitedly.

"Auntie Aubrey! Yes, Mama's here. But why don't you want to talk to me? Oh, okay. Here's Mama then. Bye Auntie!" she passed me the phone.

"Aubrey? This had better be good. What? She's where? No..." I moaned. "For fuck's sake." I pulled the phone away. "Go get Uncle please." I directed at my daughter. She jumped into action.

_"She'll die in there Chloe, you've gotta talk to her. I know you are mad but Christ, don't let her do this." _Aubrey bawled into the phone.

"What should I care Aubrey. You guys were sneaking around! For how long? You know we are married right? You do remember being the Maid of Honor? Then you turn around and sleep with her? You're supposed to be my best friend!" she cried even harder.

_"Just the once. I haven't been with anyone in years. When I told Beca, she offered to just... Release some of the tension. She'd planned to tell you, but you came home early and saw. Honest to God Chloe, I was the idiot in the situation. I came onto her. I'm so sorry." _The truth came out finally.

"Look, I'll catch the next flight home. Just keep her alive. I won't be responsible for this." I hung up. Clif was waiting for me.

"What's going on?" he asked

"Beca's holed up in a motel with a quarter ounce of smack. She told Aubrey that without me and Natalia she had nothing anyways. Aubrey came on to Beca and asked for help 'relieving tension' and Beca was too damn nice to tell her no. She was going to tell me when I got home but she sort of missed the chance. She wasn't sneaking around on me at all and now... What if I don't make it Clif? I can't lose her."

I caught the flight on time and Aubrey picked me up. She took me to the motel and I banged on the door with everything I had.

"Beca Mitchell, you open this door! I came back, now please for the love of God, let me in."

The door cracked open, and as I pushed my way in she collapsed in my arms. I fell to the ground cradling her, like I had Natalia the night before.

"Chloe... I talked to your mom this morning. She told me what you and Clif did last night. I'm so sorry. She's so stressed about us right now. It's not right. Clif is too. I shouldn't have put anyone through this. He keeps calling and telling me to crawl back and apologize. He said he gets what happened, but it still wasn't right. He's right, and I'm sorry." her voice barely came out a whisper.

"Why would you do it Beck? Regardless of who came onto who, you should have known better. You know I'm not okay with you and anyone else." she sighed.

"I'm fucked up. I figured I'd save you the trouble and get rid of myself. You deserve better than I can give you. Natalia definitely does. She needs a better mom than me. I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt that little girl. I think it's better to save her from that. I think you should just leave and let me go." I smacked her so hard my hand stung.

"You selfish piece of shit. You think killing yourself is going to protect my daughter? You'd kill her Beca! She loves you so much. She was destroyed when you didn't come home with me. You know what you are going to do? You're going to get up, come home to Carolina with me, and stay sober. Then we're going to plan a date for Natalia to move in with us."

She looked up at me and said, "I love you Chloe Mitchell. Don't leave me again okay? I was so lost without you."


End file.
